Photo: Ontherealmagazine.com
Despite reports that requests were “pouring in” for rapper T.I. to speak to teens as part of his court ordered community service, several Atlanta area public schools have turned down offers for T.I. to speak to their student bodies.
The news comes from an official at one of the schools – who’s also a loyal reader of Sandrarose.com. Speaking to us on condition of anonymity, the official said her school considered the “far reaching impact” T.I.’s visit would have on the children. She pointed to the language in T.I.’s plea agreement which requires him to speak to at-risk youth. “Suffice it to say, we don’t want our children unfairly stigmatized by the at-risk youth label,” she said.
The school official also expressed concern about the message the federal government is sending to the youth. “Mr. Harris is a convicted felon and a repeat offender who was given a slap on the wrist from the courts,” she said. “It’s a double standard. The implication is, ‘do as he says, not as he did.'”
She added, “The lenient treatment he’s received despite all his prior convictions is the stronger message that the students will take away from his visit. It’s a dichotomy that’s difficult even for adults to understand, much less children. His visit would raise tough questions that we as teachers would have to grapple with long after he’s left our campus.”
U.S. Attorney David Nahmias told the AJC that T.I., real name Clifford Harris, Jr., successfully plea bargained for a lower sentence by convincing the court that he could use his considerable influence over kids to prevent future crime.
